The 2010 Valhalla Chardonnay has moderate toasty/cedary, apricot and melon notes over roasted almond and peach kernel. Full bodied, rich and satiny with great concentration, it has a nice acid line that continues through the long finish. Drink it now through 2015+. Importer: Youngs Market, Tustin, CA

2009 Valhalla Chardonnay is a more serious, age-worthy proposition, giving intense notes of toast, roasted nuts, yeast, sulfides, warm apricots, fresh figs and some ginger. Crisp, rich, concentrated and full, there’s a wonderfully nervy tension in the mid-palate and a long minerally finish. It should be at its best from 2012 to 2016. Importer: Youngs Market, Tustin, CA; www.youngsmarket.com

The 2008 Valhalla Chardonnay has a potent nose of fresh grapefruit, nectarine and passion fruit, whilst the new oak (20%) is very well integrated. The palate is very harmonious with tropical overtones, good acidity, fresh citrus fruit with touches of brioche and a little vanilla pod. Green lemon, hints of white peach developing, great length. This is a very fine, quite assertive Chardonnay. Just 450 cases produced. Idyllic Waiheke Island has enormous potential given its volcanic soils and microclimates on the eastern part of the island and Man ‘O War is one of its most promising producers, especially now that they have Duncan McTavish (ex-Waipara Springs and Pegusas Bay) at the helm.US importer being confirmed at time of writing.